Seeing Xiu Yuan's smile brought Zebu no joy. Instead, it only made her feel worse.
He was always like this.
As long as he had saved everyone, he could still smile happily, even covered in wounds and on the brink of death.
But.
If someone who died had even the slightest connection to Xiu Yuan, he would blame himself beyond measure.
Kindness was his strength.
And at the same time.
It was his fatal weakness.
To protect others, he could withstand anything. At those moments, he was more steadfast than anything else in the world.
Conversely.
If he failed to protect someone within his power to save, even just one person, he would become incredibly fragile-more fragile than the tail of a Prince Rupert's Drop.
He was a deeply contradictory man.
"Lord Sasayuri, no matter what anyone else thinks, you're a hero to me. At the very least, you saved my home and my children. Thank you."
"Please stop blaming yourself, my lord. You saved us, saved this village, saved Watatsumi Island. Please don't blame yourself anymore. It hurts us to see you like this..."
"We were the ones who fell short, so why should you bear the burden? You did nothing wrong. Please stop blaming yourself, my lord..."
"We're sorry, my lord. When you first came to Watatsumi Island, we treated you so badly..."
At that moment, the eyes of Watatsumi Island's people held nothing but a god.
He was their god.
And also.
Their hero.
"I understand."
Looking into their eyes, Xiu Yuan gave a gentle smile.
A soft summer breeze brushed everyone's cheeks.
Leaves drifted slowly down into the water where wheat had been planted, stirring faint ripples.
Golden rays of warm sunlight spilled from the gloomy sky.
"Shogun, I'll come back."
"Treat me to Aburaage again